JOURNEY WITH US.

A research guide to ancestry, family history, and genealogy resources for Guyana (historically British Guiana).

Uncover with Ancestors of Paradise the untold stories of your Guyanese ancestors!

”From Anegada to Virgin Gorda, tour the Caribbean in this gorgeous site packed with resources, historical photos and videos…”

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records.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through census records, court records, deeds, naturalization records, military records, ship passenger lists as well as birth, marriage, and death records.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • DOM TOM : recherches généalogiques

    La présente fiche concerne les recherches généalogiques dans les départements et territoires suivants : Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Réunion, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Polynésie française, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.

  • FAMILYSEARCH RESEARCH WIKI | Guyana

    The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a free, online genealogical guide created and maintained by FamilySearch, a non-profit organization. It contains links to genealogy databases, websites, other resources, research strategies, and genealogical guidance to assist in the search for your ancestors. Articles included are locality pages for countries around the world and topic pages that include pertinent genealogy record types explaining how to use the record, what it contains, and how to find it.

  • SHIPINDEX.ORG: A VESSEL RESEARCH DATABASE

    ShipIndex.org simplifies vessel research. Whether you’re a genealogist, a maritime historian, a researcher, or just curious, we can help you learn more about the ships that interest you. We tell you which maritime resources, such as books, journals, magazines, newspapers, CD-ROMs, websites, and online databases mention the ships that interest you. We enhance these references by noting which ones include illustrations or crew and passenger lists, and where you can find or purchase the resource.

  • SlaveVoyages

    The SlaveVoyages website is a collaborative digital initiative that compiles and makes publicly accessible records of the largest slave trades in history. Search these records to learn about the broad origins and forced relocations of more than 12 million African people who were sent across the Atlantic in slave ships, and hundreds of thousands more who were trafficked within the Americas. Explore where they were taken, the numerous rebellions that occurred, the horrific loss of life during the voyages, the identities and nationalities of the perpetrators, and much more.

collections.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through our collection of diverse genealogical resources.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • ANCESTRY MESSAGE BOARDS | CARIBBEAN

    Ancestry message boards contain over 25 million posts on more than 198,000 boards.

  • ANCESTRY MESSAGE BOARDS | Guyana

    Ancestry message boards contain over 25 million posts on more than 198,000 boards.

  • DIGITAL LIBRARY OF THE CARIBBEAN

    The Digital Library of the Caribbean is a cooperative digital library for resources from and about the Caribbean & circum-Caribbean.

  • THE EARLY CARIBBEAN DIGITAL ARCHIVE

    The Early Caribbean Digital Archive is an open access collection of pre-twentieth-century Caribbean texts, maps, and images. Texts include travel narratives, novels, poetry, natural histories, and diaries that have not been brought together before as a single collection focused on the Caribbean. The materials in the archive are primarily authored and published by Europeans, but the ECDA aims to use digital tools to "remix" the archive and foreground the centrality and creativity of enslaved and free African, Afro-creole, and Indigenous peoples in the Caribbean world.

  • HISTORY HUB | Guyana

    History Hub is a research support community for everyone, including genealogists, historians, and citizen archivists.

  • MYHERITAGE | Guyana ($)

    The Guyana family history research page lists data collections relevant to Guyana.

    Start your search here to find ancestors originating from Guyana and to research historical records pertaining to Guyana.

Ancestry US

Ancestry US

CEMETERIES + MEMORIALS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through cemetery records, grave records, tombstone inscriptions, and funeral booklets.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • FIND A GRAVE | GUYANA

    Find the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials or add photos, virtual flowers and a note to a loved one's memorial. Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world.

HISTORIC IMAGES + FILM.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through early photographs, studio portraits, historic landscape images and film.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • 1922 Stanley Field Expedition to British Guiana (Guyana, South America) | The Field Museum

    This set covers the 1922 Stanley Field Expedition to British Guiana (Guyana, South America) led by botanists Bror E. Dahlgren and John R. Millar. The expedition was financed by the President of the Museum for the purpose of securing botanical exhibition material and studies for the plant reproductions in the Department of Botany. The collection of 235 plaster molds, 427 economic.

  • HUNTLEY FILM ARCHIVES | Guyana

    We are a team of dedicated film archivists who aim to help you produce the best archive content for your project.

    Our collections are vast and varied - the sum of over fifty years of service to production and to film archiving. Our footage starts around 1895 and we cover the places and people of the 20th century comprehensively and globally. Our holdings are mostly documentary with the addition of behind the scenes Hollywood, Bollywood and a special collection of pioneer film makers. It is with great pride that our source material is still on celluloid for quality and that filmic texture. Our films are housed in purpose built film vaults and our staff expert in their field.

  • Kala Pani Archives

    Our mission is to shed light on the Indian indenture system in the Caribbean, honouring the experiences and resilience of our Indian ancestors.

    We welcome you to join us on a personal journey rooted in uncovering the forgotten archives of this period.

    In the process, we will be rewriting the archaic colonial narratives that have traditionally accompanied the historical artefacts of this time, from the critical perspective of Indian indenture descendants.

  • THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES UK PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION | Guyana

    These images from the Colonial Office library photographic collection (CO 1069) and the Central Office of Information British Empire collection of photographs (INF 10) have been added to Flickr so that you can comment, tag and share them easily. The images are also being used to develop exciting national community outreach projects.

  • SOUTHEAST ASIAN & CARIBBEAN IMAGES (KITLV) | UNIVERSITAIRE BIBLIOTHEKEN LEIDEN

    The KITLV image collection holds photographs, prints and drawings that were acquired by The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV). Housed at Leiden University Libraries since 2014, as part of the KITLV library collection.

    The biggest part of the image collection consists of photographs. Around 1890 the KITLV started collecting photographs for the purpose of documenting the image of the Dutch East and West Indies in all their facets, such as landscapes, town views, architecture, and life under indigenous and Dutch rule and so forth.

  • VIEWS OF BRITISH GUIANA | NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY DIGITAL COLLECTION

    This digital compilation was developed in support of the NYPL website, "The African American Migration Experience," a sweeping 500-year historical narrative from the transatlantic slave trade to the Western migration, the colonization movement, the Great Migration, and the contemporary immigration of Caribbeans, Haitians, and sub-Saharan Africans.

  • VIVID-PIX

    Easy-to-use software that helps you fix your pics and documents fast! Free to try - no credit card required.

HISTORIC MAPS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through historic maps.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • David Rumsey Map Collection | British Guiana

    The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 35 years ago and contains more than 200,000 maps. The collection focuses on rare 16th through 21st century maps of North and South America, as well as maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, globes, wall maps, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials including pocket, wall, children's, and manuscript maps. Items range in date from around 1550 to the present.

  • David Rumsey Map Collection | Guyana

    The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 35 years ago and contains more than 200,000 maps. The collection focuses on rare 16th through 21st century maps of North and South America, as well as maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, globes, wall maps, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials including pocket, wall, children's, and manuscript maps. Items range in date from around 1550 to the present.

  • OLD MAPS ONLINE | Guyana

    Our mission is to give old maps a new life in the online world via the Old Maps Online search catalog that allows visitors to explore and discover the beauty of historical maps depicting a past geographical place of their interest.

cULTURAL INSTITUTIONs.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through libraries, museums, historical societies, and community cultural centers dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Caribbean culture.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • INDO-CARIBBEAN CULTURAL CENTRE

    Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre (ICC) is a non-profit, independent, educational organization recognized by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. ICC was established in 1999 with its axiom being “Celebrating unity in cultural diversity in the Caribbean.” It is dedicated to publishing two magazines every year – a Divali souvenir magazine, and an Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine. ICC is primarily committed to the production of information about people, issues and events affecting Hindus and Indians in multi-ethnic Trinidad and the Caribbean.

  • Moray House Trust

    Moray House Trust is a private, non-partisan, non-profit based in Georgetown and dedicated to promoting Guyanese culture and public discourse.

BOOKs.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through our collection of books for beginners, research guides, records guides, case studies, memoirs, family histories, oral histories, and photography collections.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

BLOGs.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through history, culture, and genealogy blogs.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • CARIBBEAN PORTRAIT COLLECTION

    Inspired by the stories that my Grandmother told me about our ancestors in Trinidad, I started researching my family history in my youth. My research has resulted in me accumulating vast amounts of information not only on my immediate ancestors but also related families (something we refer to as “pumpkin vine family” in Trinidad). I have since found out that my ancestors were not only from Trinidad, but also Barbados and Guyana with other branches moving to Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname and Venezuela. I have realised that although our forebears may have lived on small islands, they were certainly not isolated and often maintained connections with relatives many miles away. Within the Caribbean region we have a shared history and this has encouraged me to utilise this connectivity to create this resource.

podcastS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through on-topic podcast episodes and series.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • DIS A FI MI HISTORY PODCAST

    This is a podcast about Caribbean History and a good resource for individuals researching their family history.

  • ISLAND ARCHIVES

    The Island Archives Podcast is an audio series created to honor the Caribbean heroes/sheroes of the past and present and highlight their immeasurable contributions in different areas/disciplines. We feature their achievements by retelling their stories in an interesting, engaging, and insightful way by blending humor, history and highlights.

  • The Peppa Pot Podcast

    Welcome to The Peppa Pot

    In this podcast we delve into the history of the Indo-Caribbean community and discuss the challenges they have overcome in their journey from India to the Caribbean and beyond.

    Join us as we unpack the untold history of Guyana

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through social media discussion forums, networks, groups, and pages.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • British Guiana Collectibles | Facebook

    All thing British Guiana, ephemera, militaria photographs, post cards, postal history, and postage.

  • CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY | FACEBOOK

    This group is for sharing resources and assisting with research relating to Caribbean ancestry and history.

  • CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY RESEARCH COMMUNITY | FACEBOOK

    Welcome to the Caribbean Research Community! This group was created to give people researching the region a place to ask questions, collaborate, and share research with one another.

  • THE CUTLASS MAGAZINE

    A progressive podcast and platform dedicated to the Indo-Caribbean community and other descendants of Indian indentureship from around the world.

  • GENEALOGICAL TRANSLATIONS | FACEBOOK

    Genealogical Translations was established to provide amateur family researchers a place to have their genealogical documents translated. We are a global volunteer group whose members help other members by offering free translation of their genealogical documents such as vital records, postcards, obituaries, and more, in languages including – Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and many others!

  • Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (Affiliate) | Facebook

    This year GOIP (A) is focusing on Indigenous Rights, Indigenous Culture and Indigenous Sustainable Lifestyle.

    Our main guide on Indigenous Rights will be ‘UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)’. This important declaration is applicable to indigenous nations worldwide and is up to international standards.

  • Wooden Architecture (Guyana) Heritage | Facebook

    Wooden Architecture (Guyana) Heritage celebrates Guyana's timber buildings. For over two centuries wood has been the primary material in the construction of our public, commercial and domestic buildings. From the mid 19th century foreign architects and local builders created a unique style of wooden architecture which has become recognised as being distinctly Guyanese and they are now part of the wooden heritage.

  • Journey through the Generations | Facebook

    A platform dedicated solely to portraying the history and culture of Guyana.

GENEALOGY VIDEOS + TUTORIALS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through tutorials, lectures, roundtable discussions, and genealogy webinars.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • INTRODUCTION TO AFRO-CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY RESOURCES WITH SHARON WILKINS

    Learn how to trace your Afro-Caribbean ancestors from the West Indies, including Barbados, Jamaica, and other places. Presented by Sharon Wilkins, President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society - New York.

  • TRACING WEST INDIAN ANCESTORS: STRATEGIES & RESOURCES | LEGACY FAMILY TREE WEBINARS ($)

    This session introduces a 5-Step Research Methodology to guide family history study and research in the West Indies. Resources available in the U.S. and the U.K. are identified and civil registration and church records are illustrated through exploration of a family line. Emphasis is on the British West Indian experience.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST.

Uncover the rich lives of your Guyanese ancestors through collaboration with a professional genealogist.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • DESCUBRE TU HISTORIA

    Helping descendants from the Caribbean, Central, South and North American former Spanish colonies start the journey of healing and empowerment through the knowledge of their Family History.

  • Legacy Tree Genealogists

    Are you looking for details about your Caribbean ancestry? Do you need help getting started or have you hit a brick wall?

    Caribbean genealogy can be challenging, and the professional genealogists at Legacy Tree Genealogists can help with your research needs.

    Ancestors of Paradise visitors save on select genealogy research projects.

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